Container



May 4, 1937. E. SHERMAN CONTAINER 1 Filed March 6, 1 955 2 Sheets-Sheet Wren/0r EDw/A/ fiHE/EMAN May 4, 1937. E. SHERMAN 2,079,188

CONTAINER Filed March 6, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l LJ mush/or EDw/N 5HE2MAN.

A fforne u Patented May 4,- 1937 CONTAINER Edwin Sherman, Alton, 111., assignor to Ralph E.

Marshall, Alton, Ill.

.Application March 6, 1935, Serial No. 9,548

7 Claims. (Cl. 206-41) This invention pertains to containers, and more particularly to containers of the type adapted for holding loose materials such as pipe tobacco.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a container which may be constructed of stifi sheet material, such as sheet metal, and which may be formed in flat shape so as to lit the pocket, and which may be expansible so as to render it easy to insert the pipe for filling.

Another object is to provide such a container, which may be constructed of a single piece of sheet material and which may be rendered tight against leakage of the material therefrom.

Another object is to provide such a container, together with a liner therefor, which liner will render the container tight to hold the material.

Another object is to provide such a container with an enclosure adapted to retain the same in closed or collapsed position, together with means whereby the container is automatically expanded when the cover is opened. 1

Further objects will appear from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side view of a container embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the container in expanded position;

Figure 4 is a detail showing a fiat bottom construction;

Figure 5 is a similar detail showing a hinged bottom construction;

Figure 6 is a view of the sheet blank from which the container is constructed, before folding to shape;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the liner partly folded; and

Figure 8 is a view of the liner blank laid out for folding.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 6 shows the blank which is marked off to provide a front side I, a rear side 2, and end portions 3 and 4. Between the side portions I and 2, is a bottom por- 45 tion 5.

As shown in Figure 3, the blank is folded up so as to form the container of the shape shown in that figure. The end portions 3 and 4 are folded 50 towards each other so as to overlap to form the container. A separate cover 6 is hinged at I to the rear portion 2 and provided with a catch 8 engageable with a detent 9 on the front side I. The bottom portion may be formed round as shown in Figure 3, or flat as in Figure 4. When formed fiat, it provides a bottom upon which. the container may stand up. The cover 6 is so ar-' ranged that when the container is closedor collapsed by moving the side portions I and 2 together, as far as permitted by the end portions 3, the cover will overlap the upper edge of the part I and the catch 8 will engage the detent 9. In this positionthe cover will retain the containerin collapsed position against the tendency to spring open. The bottom portion 5 is so formed that the resiliency of the material tends to spring the container into expanded position. Accordingly, when the cover 6 is opened, this resiliency causes the automatic expansion of the container.

In accordance with the construction indicated in Figure 5, the container may be formed of two pieces hinged together at II]. A spring I I may be provided to cause the parts I and 2 to spring apart when the cover 6 is opened.

It will be noted that when the container is completely formed, the end portions 3 and 4 are in closely adjacent relation to each other and the bottom portion 5 so that the container has substantially closed joints which are tightagainst leakage of the loose material therefrom. This construction is obtained in spite of the fact that there are no connections between the edge portions of the sheet at the ends 3 and d.

A liner for the casing is provided as illustrated in Figures 7 and 8. The liner is cut to the form shown in Figure 8 and creased for folding as indicated by the lines shown in that figure. A series of bellows creases I2 run longitudinally along the middle of the sheet. The corners are creased for folding as indicated by the lines I3 and I4. The liner is then folded up to the general form shown in Figure 7. This forms a rear side portion I5 and a front side portion I6. When the liner is inserted in the casing, the corner flaps are folded against the side portions I5 and I6. This forms the liner toa rectangular shape of a size to fit into the container It will be noted that the rear portion I5 is wider than the front portion I6. When folded up, this allows a flap I? (see also Figure 2). This flap extends along the closure ii and closes the liner when the cover 6 is closed: This flap may be made wide enough to provide overlap so that a complete seal is attained adapted to protect the contents of the container from drying out.

It will be seen that this invention accomplishes its objects in providing a container which may be made up in a flat form, conveniently carried in the pocket and which, when opened, will auto- This container may be made of any suitable material and may be used for holding any kind of loose material as well as tobacco. The liner may be made of paper or other suitable material.

The term loose material, as used in this specification and the appended claims, is intended to designate such material as pipe tobacco as distinguished from caked material or finished objects.

It is obvious that various changes may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of this invention; it is to be understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the specific details shown and/ or described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A container of the character described, comprising, a casing formed of a single piece of sheet material folded to provide stiff enclosing walls, unconnected at the sheet edges but with substantially closed joints adapted to retain loose material, and means rendering said casing expansible for access to the interior thereof.

2. A container of the character described, comprising, a casing formed of a single piece of sheet material folded to provide stiff enclosing walls, unconnected at the sheet edges but with substantially closed joints adapted to retain loose material, means rendering said casing expansible for access to the interior thereof, and a closure for said casing adapted to retain the same in unexpanded condition.

3. A container of the character described, comprising, a casing formed of a single piece of sheet material folded to provide stiff enclosing walls, unconnected at the sheet edges but with substantially closed joints adapted to retain loose material, means rendering said casing expansible for access to the interior thereof, and a liner of sheet material within said casing formed to break joints therewith.

4. A container for loose materials, comprising, a casing adapted to receive and hold the material and having stifi side walls and end walls, constructed and arranged to form a fiat package adapted for carrying in the pocket, said side walls being connected for limited expansion to permit access to the interior of said casing and said end walls being unconnected but with substantially closed joints.

5. A container for loose materials, comprising, a casing adapted to receive and hold the material and having stiff side walls and end Walls, constructed and arranged to form a fiat package adapted for carrying in the pocket, said side walls being connected for limited expansion to permit access to the interior of said casing and said end walls being unconnected but with substantially closed joints, a closure for said casing adapted to retain said side walls in collapsed relation, and means operating to expand said Walls upon opening said closure.

6. A container of the character described, comprising, a casing formed of sheet material having stiff enclosing walls unconnected at the sides of said casing but with substantially closed joints adapted to retain loose material, and means rendering said casing expansible for access to the interior thereof.

'7. A container of the character described, comprising, a casing formed of sheet material having stiff enclosing walls unconnected at the sides of said casing but with substantially closed joints adapted to retain loose material, means rendering said casing expansible for access to the interior thereof, and a liner of sheet material formed to break joints therewith.

' EDWIN SHERMAN. 

